The Death of Dean Porter
by Kelly of the midnight dawn
Summary: EO what more do you need to know?
1. Chapter 1: Moving in with Olivia

**The Death of Dean Porter**

**Chapter 1: Moving In With Olivia**

**Disclaimer: I do not own them.**

**A/N: More of my hatred for Porter expressed in a sweet EO fic. I can't stand Dean and lately the idea of anything other than EO makes me very sad so I decided I'd post this tonight. I hope you enjoy.**

"What are you doing here?!" Olivia screamed as she spun around on her heal to face Dean Porter.

"I wanted to know if you wanted to go grab a bit to eat," he said in a tone of feigned sweetness.

"Stay away from me," Olivia said in a low, dangerous voice.

"Make me," Dean whispered in her ear with a smile as he walked past her and out the doors of the precinct.

"Are you okay?" Elliot asked, coming up beside her. He had been on the other side of the lobby when he heard her screaming at Dean and he had come over to see what was wrong.

"I'm fine," Olivia assured him "He's just annoyingly persistant, that's all."

"You want me to talk to him for you?" Elliot asked.

"No, no," she answered quickly "Thanks but I can handle this myself. He's not the first guy I've had to deal with who's like that." She turned and exited the precinct.

Elliot nodded as he watched her leave. Dean Porter may not have been the first but if Elliot remembered correctly, the others had been violent rapists.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Olivia leaned back on her couch and closed her eyes. It had been a long day and she wanted to rest. The last thing she wanted to think about now was Dean Porter. But just as she reached for the TV remote, in hopes of finding something droning and mindless to fall asleep to, her phone rang.

She groaned and reached over to answer it "Benson," she grumbled.

"So what are you wearing?"

"Dean, I swear if you keep this up I'll get a restraining order," Olivia threatened.

"Oh come on Olivia," Dean said and he almost sounded like he was begging but not quite "You know we have something."

"The only something we have is in your imagination you pompous ass," Olivia hissed.

"Ouch," Dean murmured and the line went dead.

Olivia sighed and lay back down on the couch again. Briefly, she thought about calling Elliot to tell him about the phone call but he was at home, with Kathy. She didn't want to risk bothering either of them, or setting the wrath of Elliot's pregnant wife upon him.

She yawned and started to drift off when her phone rang again. Irritated, she reached for it "Dean, I swear to God, you had better forget that you ever knew this number."

"What's that? Liv, what did he do now," it was Elliot.

"Oh…" Olivia gulped "Sorry El. It's nothing, really. Dean just called and… pissed me off."

Elliot seemed to let out a relieved breath "I almost feel bad for the guy," he chuckled "As someone who's pissed you off many times, I can say that it's probably one of the biggest mistakes a guy can make."

Olivia laughed, glad for the light hearted moment "I'll take that as a compliment," she smiled and nuzzled the phone as she curled up on the couch. "How's Kathy?"

Elliot groaned "Uh…" he started "That's… well, that's kind of the reason why I'm calling."

"El," Olivia sat up immediately, sensing the subtle hurt and sense of loss in his voice "What happened?"

"We… well, we had this fight and…" he fell silent for a long time. When he spoke next, Olivia could hear the tears in his voice "She told me the baby isn't mine and that she never wants to see me again."

"Oh, Elliot," Olivia whispered sorrowfully "I'm so sorry."

"So… I don't really have a place to stay," he said quietly "I already called Munch and he said no. Fin has… company so…"

"Of course Elliot," Olivia said kindly "You should have called me first," she told him firmly yet playfully "Come on over."

Elliot cleared his throat nervously "Actually… I'm sitting outside in my car. I'll be right up."

Olivia laughed "See you in a few," she hung the phone up and got off the couch. She went to the closet and grabbed an extra blanket and pillow and put them on the couch for herself as she waited for the buzzer.

The buzzer sounded and Olivia smirked, walking over to the intercom. "Who is it?" she asked teasingly.

"Liv," Elliot sighed exasperatedly "You know who it is."

"Do I?" she laughed "Quick, what's your least favorite thing?"

"When my partner let's me stand on her front doorstep in the bitter cold with a very heavy bag on my shoulder and all she does is laugh about it," Elliot replied dryly.

"Good enough," Olivia smiled and buzzed him in.


	2. Chapter 2: Comfort

**The Death of Dean Porter**

**Chapter 2: Comfort**

**A/N: I'm so glad that there are some other Dean-haters out there. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and to mhopeg, don't worry, you will get what you want in this story evil laugh**

Olivia opened the door and looked at Elliot. He was a wreck, a physical and emotional wreck. She took the bag from him and gently guided him to sit on her couch "Hey," she said warmly as she sat beside him, taking his hands in hers; they were so cold "How did you get here?" she asked.

"Walked," was his simple response.

"All the way from Queens?" Olivia stood up and shook out the blanket she had gotten from the closet earlier. She quickly wrapped it around his shoulders.

"Kathy packed the bag for me," he replied in a monotone "She threw me out without any money."

"Oh God," Olivia whispered as she didn't even bother to fight the urge to gather him into her arms. She held him, letting his head rest on her shoulder as she rubbed his back "You're freezing," she observed, then a thought occurred to her and she felt ashamed "I'm sorry I made you wait out there," she said quietly.

"No big deal," he mumbled against her, taking perhaps far too much pleasure in the closeness "It was the first time I've smiled all night."

Olivia felt tears brimming in her eyes "Glad I could help," she sniffed.

Elliot wrapped his arms around her and returned her gentle embrace "Cheer up," he said softly.

"That's what I'm supposed to tell you," Olivia half laughed as she moved to wipe her eyes on her sleeve "You want some coffee?" she asked, standing up.

"Sure," he replied, settling into the couch cushions and grabbing the TV remote, flipping through the channels.

Olivia returned soon with a cup of coffee for him and a cup of tea for herself. She set both mugs on the coffee table and curled herself around Elliot, to help him warm up, she told herself. She began to subconsciously rub Elliot's back and he, without realizing in, pulled her closer to him. Before either one knew what had happened, they had drifted off.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The phone woke both of them at two in the morning. They looked at each other briefly in the pale glow of the television. They each flashed the other a soft smile and Olivia reached for the phone "Benson," she answered, trying to clear the fatigue from her voice and only partially succeeding.

"Olivia, please give me a chance," it was Dean.

"Oh my God," she muttered "Do you even know what time it is? What is wrong with you? Don't call here again." She hung up.

"Porter again?" Elliot inquired as he leaned back into his embrace without really knowing it.

"Yeah," she said, failing to stifle a yawn.

"You're sure you don't want me to talk to him or something?" Elliot closed his eyes and inhaled the smell of her hair.

"No, I'm handling it," Olivia objected wearily.

At that moment, the phone rang again "This is your idea of handling it?" Elliot asked, trying to keep the smugness out of his tone.

"You handle things your way," Olivia moaned as she reached for the phone "And I handle things my way." She sighed and answered it "This is getting to be harassment you know."

"Getting to be?" Elliot muttered from beside her.

"Hello?" Olivia questioned.

There was a long wait before the answer came "Alright Olivia, you win. I'll stop calling you," there was a click.

Olivia put the phone back and snuggled up beside Elliot again "He's weird," she remarked sleepily. Suddenly, the fact that they were both sitting up occurred to her. She sat bolt upright and turned to Elliot "You should take your bag and go get settled in my bedroom. You'll be a heck of a lot more comfortable."

"Do I have to?" Elliot half whined, half mumbled.

"Only if you don't want to pop all of your vertebrae out of place in the morning," Olivia chuckled.

Elliot rotated his shoulders a bit and winced when he felt a bit of a pain in his neck "I see what you mean," he said, a little more awake sounding this time. "But I don't want to kick you out of your bed."

"Don't worry about it," Olivia smiled "I've fallen asleep on this couch hundreds of times."

Elliot got up and turned to head into Olivia's bedroom when he turned back and reached for her hand "Will you stay with me?" he asked almost as if he was a small boy, afraid of the monsters in the closet.

Olivia looked up at him and smiled "I don't think that it would be appropriate…" she had to draw the line somewhere in this relationship, especially now when what had drawn the line for them recently was no longer relevant. She took a deep breath and finished her thought "…Given the circumstances."

Elliot nodded, too worn out from the fight with Kathy to argue. He trudged into Olivia's bedroom and dropped his bag on the floor beside the bed. He crawled between the covers. He tried to get sleep again but he suddenly felt so alone without Olivia beside him. He stared up at the ceiling and wondered how long, how long he could keep his distance from her. Pretty soon, sleep overtook him without his realization.


	3. Chapter 3: It's Under Control

**The Death of Dean Porter**

**Chapter 3: It's Under Control**

**A/N: Thanks to all of the people who reviewed last chapter. I hope you guys like this one.**

Olivia was the first to wake up the next morning. She swung her legs off the couch and stood up. She wandered into her bedroom to get a change of clothes before she had fully woken up and was surprised at first when she saw Elliot in her bed.

She tiptoed over and watched him for a moment. His sleep seemed uneasy; he shifted from side to side restlessly. Olivia tiptoed to the dresser and got her clothes before heading into the bathroom to shower and change.

His troubled sleep had to have been a result of the news that Kathy had so tactlessly blurted to him the night before, Olivia surmised. She decided that she would have to have a talk with Kathy that afternoon. She just couldn't stand that Kathy had caused Elliot so much pain. It made her angry.

When she emerged from the bathroom, she saw that Elliot was no longer in bed. She shook her head in confusion for a moment before the smell of coffee hit her nostrils. She smiled and headed out to the kitchen "Morning," she greeted with a warm smile.

"Good morning," he returned her smile, though the expression seemed forced. He took a step closer to her "Listen, thanks for letting me crash here last night," he waved in the direction of the coffee pot "I figured the least I could do was make you coffee."

"No problem," Olivia assured him softly.

"I promise, I'll be out of your hair soon," he began "It shouldn't take me too long to find a place. I bet my old apartment hasn't even been rented out again and…" he was babbling now and he knew it. He gave Olivia a nervous and apologetic smile "Sorry," he shrugged.

"Don't worry about it," Olivia told him as she opened a cabinet and got out two coffee mugs "You can stay here as long as you need to."

"Thanks," Elliot said quietly, his gaze turning to the floor as he took the mugs from Olivia's outstretched hands. He hadn't been thrilled at first when Kathy had told him she was pregnant, true, but he had begun to look forward to having a baby around. He loved kids and was getting to a point where he was almost excited about this one. Now, he wasn't sure what to feel.

Olivia took her coffee from Elliot and leaned back against the kitchen counter as she took a sip "You know," she commented "I tried to stay away from it but it just has this spell over me," she smiled. That was true of more than just the coffee. Over the past couple of years, she had tried to distance herself from Elliot but she always came back, her bond with him somehow stronger than it had been before.

"I know what you mean," Elliot agreed as he stood across from her watching her every movement carefully without even really realizing he was doing so.

Olivia set her empty mug in the sink and glanced at her watch "Oh," she inhaled quickly "We're gonna be late," she dashed to the door of her apartment and grabbed her coat from the hook beside it.

"Wait," Elliot said as he set his own mug beside hers "Shouldn't you have something to eat?" he himself didn't have much of an appetite that morning but he was worried about Olivia; it wasn't good to go into work with just a cup of coffee in one's stomach and nothing else.

"I've got peanut butter crackers in the glove compartment," she explained as she left the apartment "If you want a ride you'd better move it," she called back.

Elliot quickly followed after her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Is there some reason you're here?" Olivia asked, staring at Dean, who stood on the sidewalk in front of her outside the precinct.

"I said I wouldn't call anymore," Dean shrugged "I didn't say I would give up," he smiled at her and she felt the urge the retch.

"Dean," Olivia began evenly "You have no chance so you should just turn around right now and march right back to the federal building with your tail between your legs."

"Just one date is all I'm asking for," he said pleadingly.

"No," Olivia told him.

Dean took a step closer to her and leaned in about to kiss her when Elliot caught up to Olivia. He cleared his throat loudly, startling Dean as Olivia pushed him away "Am I interrupting something?" he asked, looking at Dean with barely restrained anger.

"No," Olivia said calmly "Agent Porter here was just leaving," she looked pointedly at Dean "Isn't that right."

Dean nodded quickly "Yes," he nodded to both detectives "Goodbye," he started to walk away but turned back "I'll be seeing you around Olivia."

"Are you okay?" Elliot asked as soon as Dean was out of earshot.

"Yeah," Olivia said quickly though her tone held an edge of uneasiness.

"I'm gonna have a talk with him," Elliot said decisively.

"No," Olivia firmly stated.

"Look," Elliot began "This guy is obviously not very intimidated by you."

"He should be," Olivia said almost angrily.

"Yes," Elliot agreed "But since he's not, maybe I should talk to him for you, get him to lay off."

"Elliot, I've got this under control," Olivia told him "Dean's harmless."

"Yeah," Elliot muttered "He looked real harmless just now," the sarcasm was apparent as he spoke.

"Come on!" Olivia yelled in exasperation "It was just a kiss Elliot! He didn't even get a chance to kiss me! Stop worrying about this!" she turned to head inside.

"I can't help it," he said, coming up beside her "I worry about you. You're my partner."

She turned to him and smiled softly "I know," she said in a much more calm and understanding tone "But just let this one go and trust me that I can take care of it, okay?"

"Okay," Elliot shrugged as they continued on up to the squad room, but he wasn't so sure.


	4. Chapter 4: An Awkward Conveersation

**The Death of Dean Porter**

**Chapter 4: An Awkward Conversation**

**A/N: Okay… guys, this might be my last update for a while. I have a terrible cold and as I'm writing this, my eyes won't stop watering and my nose keeps running. My throat is dry and hurts and I'm getting a headache the longer I sit here, so please don't hate me if this story doesn't get updated for a week or something like that. Love to you all. 3 Kelly**

Olivia rang the doorbell and immediately returned her hands to her jacket pockets as she shifted uncomfortably on the front steps of what used to be Elliot's house. She bit her bottom lip and fought the almost overpowering urge to run. Talking to Kathy was always extremely awkward for her and she suspected it wasn't much easier for Kathy herself.

The door opened and Kathy stood there in all of her pregnant glory. She stared at Olivia for a long time. There was no trace of anger in the gaze, only exhaustion and confusion. "Olivia," she said finally, opening the door the rest of the way and politely stepping aside "Please come in. Is Elliot alright?"

"He's fine," Olivia reassured her as she stepped inside the house, noticing immediately the smell of something delicious. She turned to Kathy, trying to keep any trace of anger from her voice but her words came out sounding bitter nonetheless "Why do you care?"

Kathy sighed, leaning heavily against the front door as she closed it "He's my weakness," she said softly.

Olivia nodded, understanding completely. Elliot Stabler had some sort of strange spell over women that he didn't even realize which made him all the more irresistible. Olivia took a step closer to Kathy "So why did you kick him out?"

"It isn't fair to either of us," Kathy sighed, pulling away from the door and walking into the kitchen, motioning for Olivia to follow her "It's better to bring a baby into a world without yelling, without fighting, without the constant hostility that exists between the two of us these days. Even the silence is full of angry words."

Olivia leaned against a kitchen counter. She couldn't entirely disagree with what Kathy had said. She looked at the counter behind her and smiled softly "Doing some baking?" she asked.

Kathy nodded "Yeah," she bent and opened the oven door, removing a bread pan and then another "My boss put me on maternity leave already. I have too much time on my hands, so…" she gestured to the counters, lined with loaves of breads and plates of cookies.

Olivia smiled "I usually read books in my spare time," she shrugged.

Kathy laughed "I read every book in this house twice when I was pregnant with the twins," she stopped and turned to Olivia "You're sure he's okay… I mean… he didn't get pneumonia or something from being out there all night."

"He's fine Kathy," Olivia reassured her "He showed up at my place. He's fine, physically."

Kathy hung her head "I shouldn't have said that. I knew it would hurt him but… it's the only way."

Olivia raised an eyebrow "The only way what?" she asked.

Kathy realized her misstep "Nothing," she said quickly, turning her attention to an open cookbook.

Olivia took a step away from the counter "Kathy," she began in a soft but stern tone. Her silent gaze bored holes through Kathy's skull.

Kathy looked up at Olivia and broke down instantly "Please," she begged "You can't tell him."

"Tell him what…?" Olivia began but the realization hit her "You lied when you told him it wasn't his."

"Yes," Kathy whispered, hiding her head in her hands "He's better off thinking that I was unfaithful."

Olivia couldn't fight her nurturing side and she embraced Kathy. She rubbed the other woman's back as Kathy's tears soaked her shirt "Trust me," she said quietly "He's not better off."

"But he is," Kathy sobbed "He had started to accept that it was over and then… when I found out I knew I couldn't do this alone. I shouldn't have told him in the first place."

Olivia couldn't help feeling slightly awkward, comforting Elliot's ex-wife but the other woman was obviously deeply distressed. "He never accepted it," she told her "He could never get over the fact that he was losing his family."

Kathy pulled away and wiped her eyes "That's just it," she said "When he asked to come home, he didn't say that he loved me or that he was doing this for the two of us. He said he loved his family, the kids. He can't stand being away from the kids. But having him here in the house puts more stress on them than when they found out about the divorce. I just… I just can't keep doing this," she turned back to her cookbook "If you can stay a few minutes, I'll get Elliot's wallet and the rest of his things for you."

"Okay," Olivia said uneasily, leaning against the counter again. She took a deep breath "You should call Elliot and explain all of this to him."

"No," Kathy looked up with fresh tears in her eyes "He'll want to work things out again, out of religious obligation. I can't drag him back into the mess that is my life."

"It was his life too Kathy," Olivia pointed out.

"He's better off," Kathy said firmly as she wiped at her eyes again with little success "Promise me you won't tell him."

"Kathy… I…"

"Promise me," Kathy said, pleadingly.

"I can't keep this from him Kathy. He has a right to know," Olivia said honestly.

"You can't," Kathy whispered "Please? I know you care about him. If you tell him this, he'll come home and you'll never have a chance."

Olivia stared wide eyed at Kathy "I do care about him," she stated simply "And that's why I can't keep something like this from him. He's my partner, and my friend and he has every right to know that that baby is his."

"Olivia, please?" Kathy looked like she was about to collapse. Olivia quickly pulled out one of the kitchen chairs and guided her to it. Once Kathy was seated she looked up at Olivia "I know you and I have never been… well, we've never really been the least bit companionable with each other, have we?" she laughed humorlessly "But, please, do this for me? I don't wanna hurt him but I know that he's just staying here for the baby. If he thinks it's not his it'll be easier."

Olivia shook her head "I don't think I can keep if from him forever. He's going to find out sooner or later."

"He doesn't have to," Kathy pleaded "Just… don't tell him?"

"It isn't fair to him," Olivia objected.

Kathy hung her head "I know," she whispered. She looked back up with new determination in her eyes "Just keep it secret until the baby's born. By then, maybe he'll have moved on, found someone," she looked pointedly at Olivia as she said this "Then he won't feel like he has to come back just for the baby," her eyes begged Olivia for her acquiescence.

Olivia swallowed hard, staring at the broken woman in front of her. She slowly nodded "I won't say anything," she promised.

"Thank you," Kathy said with such gratitude and relief that Olivia almost felt like she had made the right decision even though she knew she hadn't. Kathy hugged Olivia warmly "I'll go get Elliot's things for you," she left the kitchen.

Olivia stood there, hoping that she hadn't just made a huge mistake but almost sure that she had. All of a sudden, her cell phone rang. She flipped it open without glancing at the caller ID "Benson."

"You want me to pick up a pizza?" Elliot asked.

Olivia smiled softly, trying to ignore the pit in her stomach "Sure, how about Hawaiian?"

"Sounds good," he agreed "What about a movie?"

The familiar call waiting beep sounded in Olivia's ear "Hold on El, got another call," she pushed the button and forwent the usual, profession greeting in favor of a simple "Hello?"

"Wanna go grab a beer?"

"I thought you said you weren't going to call me anymore?" Olivia asked.

"I meant to say that I wouldn't call your apartment anymore," Dean clarified.

"Well isn't that just lovely," Olivia remarked before flipping the phone closed. It wasn't until it rang that she remembered that she'd left Elliot on hold. She flipped it open once again "I think we should pass on renting a movie El," she said quickly "We've gotta testify in the Paxton case tomorrow and I need to mentally prepare."

"Are you okay?" Elliot asked, noticing her tone and how out of breath she sounded.

"Yeah, yeah," Olivia said dismissively "I'm handling it," and then she realized that she had just given Elliot the identity of her other caller without even meaning to.

"Olivia," Elliot said sternly but he quickly changed his tone "I'm gonna talk to him."

"No," Olivia said quickly as Kathy walked back into the room with a bag over one shoulder "It's fine. Don't worry about it. I'll see you at my place in twenty minutes."

"Okay," Elliot reluctantly backed down "See ya then. Bye."

"Bye," Olivia said and flipped her phone closed.

"Was that Elliot?" Kathy asked.

"Yeah," Olivia replied, taking the bag from Kathy "Pizza and court preparation," she laughed nervously.

Kathy smiled warmly "Sounds like a fun evening," Olivia turned and was about to leave when Kathy thought of something. She opened a drawer and tore a piece of tin foil off of a roll. She picked up one of the loaves of bread and wrapped it in the tin foil "Here," she said, holding it out to Olivia "Cranberry Orange bread, Elliot's favorite."

Olivia nodded and took the loaf from Kathy's outstretched hand "Yeah, mine too actually," she gave Kathy a quick one armed hug "Take care of yourself," she turned to leave "Bye," she tossed over her shoulder.

"Bye," Kathy called back "Come back and visit sometime," she added in a quiet whisper. It had been far too long since she had socialized with anyone who wasn't one of her children.

Olivia heard her but pretended not to as she left the house. She wasn't feeling too happy about the awkward position that Kathy had left her in. She only hoped that when the truth did finally come out, Elliot wouldn't hold it against her.


	5. Chapter 5: Of Pizza and Secrets

**The Death of Dean Porter**

**Chapter 5: Of Pizza and Secrets**

**A/N: Okay, I had a bit of a break where I don't feel as miserable as I've been feeling and I wrote this. And just because I love you guys so much, I decided to post it. I love you all and your reviews brighten my otherwise bleak days. I don't know when I will be able to update again but I promise all of you that what ever happens, I will update. As always, please enjoy.**

Olivia sat on the couch next to Elliot. The pizza box sat open on the coffee table in front of them. Elliot was on his second slice where as Olivia had yet to take a bite out of her first. This hadn't gone unnoticed by Elliot but he chalked it up to the case that they had to testify for. He never thought it could have anything to do with Kathy or the baby.

If Elliot hadn't have been absolutely starving, he probably wouldn't have wanted to eat either. The trial wasn't going well and Casey needed them both to testify or the whole case could be blown straight to pieces.

Jarred Paxton, the defendant, had murdered his wife, Julianne. The only reason SVU had been called in was because the couple's sixteen month old son, Aiden, had been found wandering the streets at two in the morning. The evidence was shaky at best. It was being argued by the defense that the murder could have just as easily been a burglary gone wrong.

Elliot still remembered when they had interviewed Aiden's paternal grandmother. Just the memory of her cold, emotionless words gave Elliot the chills.

"_Jarred never wanted Julianne to have that baby," she had said "Always a burden on both of them that child was. But for some reason, Jarred loves the boy."_

How much could Jarred Paxton love his son if he had left him to watch his mother die? Elliot couldn't even begin to fathom the hatred that Paxton had to have possessed.

The child, of course, hadn't spoken a word when Elliot and Olivia had first met him and had said very little when he had been placed in a foster home. But it was obvious, from the way that he shank away from his father that first day, that Jarred had been the one that had traumatized his son so badly.

Elliot finished his second piece of pizza and turned to Olivia "You should probably eat something," he said kindly.

Olivia, obligingly, took a small bit from the end of the piece she had been holding in her hand for nearly twenty minutes. She chewed thoughtfully and swallowed. The case was almost the furthest thing from her mind. How could she keep from Elliot the truth about the baby? How could she go another minute without being honest with him, let alone the three months until the child arrived? She felt Elliot's gaze on her and she took another tentative bite of the pizza. Kathy's broken and sobbing visage flashed in her mind. She didn't know what to do.

Elliot placed a hand on her forearm "He's gonna go to jail," he told her firmly "The jury can't possibly let him walk."

"What?" Olivia asked absent mindedly, then, realizing what he was referring to she said quickly "Oh, yeah, of course they will."

Elliot settled into the couch cushions and turned his whole body so he was facing her "There's something else on your mind," he stated as he scrutinized her with those piercing blue eyes of his.

Damn she both hated and loved those eyes. Hated them because they could see right through her and read her like a book and loved them for the exact same reason. She cleared her throat, hating herself for what she was about to do "It's nothing," she said dismissively.

"Is it Porter?" Elliot asked and Olivia was almost glad that he had chosen this line of conversation "Let me talk to him for you."

"No, Elliot," she said firmly "I can handle this. He's just got a bit of a crush."

"Grown men don't get crushes," Elliot countered.

"And what would you know about the subject?" Olivia asked with an edge of bitterness behind her otherwise playful sounding tone "What was Rebecca Hendrix?"

"I wasn't even attracted to her!" he said in shock "What is wrong with you?!"

"Sorry," she murmured angrily before dropping the subject and instead focusing the attention back on her own issue "Dean is harmless. He'll give up sooner or later."

"And if he doesn't?" Elliot questioned skeptically.

"I guess I'll…" she found herself almost nauseas at the thought "…Go out on a date with him."

"I don't think that's a solution," Elliot remarked.

"Not one I wanna explore," Olivia admitted but as soon as she realized she'd let it slip, she hurriedly tried to cover for herself "It couldn't be so bad going out on one date with him. After he sees what it's like to be around me for more than a couple minutes, he'll give up."

"No he won't," Elliot said confidently.

"Excuse me?" Olivia asked, raising an eyebrow in his direction.

Elliot swallowed hard and reached for another piece of pizza simply to have an excuse not to talk. He took an enormous bite and chewed it as slowly as possible.

Olivia almost laughed; his actions were so transparent. He didn't want to discuss this topic. Had the conversation veered down a road that they tried not to travel in their dayly lives? She cleared her throat just as Elliot swallowed and was moving to take another bite of the pizza. She smacked his hand away from his mouth and the pizza landed, cheese side down, on her floor. "Talk," she commanded with a tiny smile.

Elliot looked down at his fallen pizza and then back up at her. He laughed "You seriously just did that?" he said questioningly.

"You're avoiding the subject," she reminded him.

"Oh, right," he stammered "The subject… You're not going to believe this… but in all the excitement of you knocking my pizza on the floor, I forgot what we were talking about."

"You're right," Olivia smiled, elbowing him in the ribs "I don't believe it. Now tell me what you meant about Dean not giving up if I go out with him."

Elliot cleared his throat and looked at her for a long time before speaking "I just… it doesn't seem likely that he'll give up. I mean… there's a good reason he has a 'crush' on you… You're… you're amazing and if he were any kind of a man, he wouldn't let you slip away from him."

Olivia suddenly had the feeling that Elliot wasn't talking about Dean anymore. She stood up "I should go get something to clean that up," she said quickly, looking down at the pizza before heading into the kitchen.

Elliot watched her, mentally smacking himself for what he had said. He had the strangest feeling that things between them had somehow gotten a lot more complicated.


	6. Chapter 6: Distance

**The Death of Dean Porter**

**Chapter 6: Distance**

**A/N: I still feel miserable and yet here I am, typing instead of resting. I must be a massive idiot. I don't even know why I'm posting this. Well, I hope you like it. Love to you all. I'm off to bed.**

"Not guilty!" Elliot screamed in frustration, trying with all his might not to launch a fist through the wall of the courthouse's lobby "How the hell could they have let him get away with this?" he sank onto a nearby bench.

Olivia sat down beside him. She was just as angry about the verdict but for the life of her, she was trying to remain the calm one. She tried to think of something kind, reassuring or profound to answer his question but all that came from her lips was a defeated "I just don't know."

Both detectives looked across the room where Aiden's foster family was handing the boy over to Jarred. The little boy looked absolutely terrified. "The real crime is letting him have his son again," Elliot murmured.

Olivia nodded. At that moment, little Aiden let out a terrified shriek and bolted across the room. He darted under the bench that Elliot and Olivia were sitting on and peered out fearfully from between their legs.

Jarred Paxton sauntered over, in no real hurry to retrieve his son. "Nice to see you detectives," he began conversationally "Sorry about the way things went," he smirked and it was obvious that he wasn't sorry at all "If you'll excuse me," he bent down and shoved Olivia's legs aside.

Olivia captured his forearm and held it firmly in one hand "Don't touch me," she hissed.

Jarred looked up and when he saw not only Olivia's angry gaze but Elliot's directed at him, he began to shift uncomfortably.

"I think you owe my partner an apology," Elliot said in a no nonsense tone.

Jarred cleared his throat "I'm sorry detective. Could you please move so I can get my son?"

Olivia begrudgingly moved aside and watched in amusement as Jarred attempted, but failed miserably, to coax Aiden from beneath the bench.

"No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No!" was all Aiden said no matter how his father tried to bribe him.

Olivia and Elliot both had to suppress their laughter. Eventually, Olivia got off the bench and slid on to the floor. Though she didn't want to see the little boy forced to go home with the man who had most likely killed his mother, the judge had ordered it. "Hey Aiden," she said quietly to the little boy, who had curled up in a ball under a corner of the bench.

The little boy looked up and offered her a quiet "Hi," though his small voice still held more than it's fair share of terror.

Olivia reached out to him "Why don't you come out here huh?"

"No!" Aiden shouted, pulling away from her.

Jarred, meanwhile had sat back on his heals, more than willing to let someone who wasn't totally clueless handle this situation.

"Are you just going to live under the bench for the rest of your life?" Olivia asked teasingly.

Aiden nodded and buried his head in his knees "No go," he replied.

Olivia sighed, casting her gaze upward. She didn't want to make him do this. He was just a little boy. The string of 'No's that he had unleashed had been the most that Olivia had heard him talk since the day she met him and from what she'd heard from the foster family, he only talked around her or Elliot.

Elliot slid off the bench too and sat down beside Olivia "Hey there," he smiled.

Aiden looked up and again offered the quiet and terrified "Hi."

"Aiden," Elliot began gently "You've gotta come out of there buddy."

Aiden shook his head furiously. He was far too young to comprehend court orders and that the justice system occasionally failed those that it was meant to protect.

"Come on," Olivia said quietly. She smiled and held her arms out to him.

Aiden, who could no longer see his father through the two detectives, slowly inched towards Olivia.

She reached out and wrapped her arms around him, immediately standing up. Aiden wrapped his tiny arms around her neck and as soon as his father was back in his field of vision, he buried his face in her chest "No. No. No. No. No," he whispered.

Olivia rubbed his back, her heart breaking for the toddler "Shh," she whispered. When the little boy's grip relaxed, she handed him to Jarred Paxton.

When the boy was in his father's arms, the screaming began at full force. Over the screams, Jarred managed to shout a thank you to the detectives.

Olivia and Elliot followed him outside. When Aiden was safely in his car seat, still screaming his head off, Elliot took hold of Paxton's arm and twisted it just slightly "This is a friendly warning," he muttered venomously in Paxton's ear "If anything should happen to that boy, you can be sure that I will make your life a living hell."

Paxton turned to Elliot and nodded "Good day detectives," he said as way of goodbye, sliding into the driver's seat and speeding away.

Elliot turned and looked at Olivia. She had a lost expression on her face as she watched the car drive off "Sometimes this job really sucks," she observed.

"Yeah," Elliot nodded as he moved closer to her "Wanna go for a walk? I could stand to clear my head of this day."

Olivia nodded "Yeah, yeah me too."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Central Park air was slightly less suffocating than the rest of the city as Elliot and Olivia walked side by side down the winding jogging path.

"I can't stop thinking…" Olivia began but she trailed off, afraid that she might let something slip about her talk with Kathy if they started discussing children in any way, shape or form.

"He'll screw up again," Elliot murmured "We'll get him next time," he fell silent.

"What if 'next time' is too late to help Aiden?" Olivia asked, already knowing that this was a hopeless endeavor. They had failed and they had failed miserably. She had known, when she handed Aiden to his father, that it was already too late.

Elliot sighed when a voice from behind them startled them both "Hey, I thought you might be here."

They turned around to see Dean standing there "What are you doing here?" they asked in unison.

Dean stepped forward, stopping a few inches away from Olivia "I heard what happened with that little boy in the Paxton case. I'm sorry."

"Thanks, but I'm fine," Olivia told him firmly.

"Wanna go somewhere and talk about it?" Dean asked "Say, a movie."

"You aren't supposed to talk during movies dumbass," Elliot remarked from beside Olivia.

"I don't remember asking you," Dean shot Elliot a death glare before turning back to Olivia "We could always just go to a bar and grab a drink."

"No thanks," Olivia said, emphasizing every syllable, forcing them past her lips as if each word would shove Dean a good twenty feet away from her.

"Come on," Dean prodded gently, stepping closer to her and wrapping an arm around her waist.

She pulled away and glared at him but before she could say another word, Elliot stepped between them "She said no Porter, take a hint."

Dean stared at Elliot for a long time and for a moment, Olivia thought Dean was gonna hit him but at the last second, Dean backed down. He turned to Olivia once again "I'll catch up with you later," he said before turning and heading back the way he had come.

"You didn't need to do that you know," Olivia said as Elliot turned to face her "I was handling it."

"Sure Liv," he said sarcastically "You were just one drink away from crawling into bed with someone who you despise. Yeah, I call that handling it."

Olivia's jaw dropped "How dare you?!" she screamed before turning from him and bolting down the path. He had basically insinuated that she was easy. She ran faster as tears made their way down her cheeks; she couldn't stop; she didn't want him to see her crying, not about this.

"Liv wait!" he called as he ran after her. He honestly hadn't meant it to come out sounding the way it had. He was only trying to prove his point that she did not have control over this situation. As he ran after her, he had a feeling that he was going to find himself wandering the streets of New York again that night with his bag over his shoulder.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He finally caught up with her nearly a mile away. She had stopped to rest against a tree. She heard him approaching but made no effort to acknowledge his presence.

"Look," he began, a little out of breath "I know how that sounded and I-I'm sorry."

"I know you are," she said flatly, moving her sleeve hurriedly to wipe her eyes before she turned to him "But you wanna know the worst part? You were probably right."

"No," Elliot said quickly "I was just worried and I was frustrated and I was angry and I took it out on you."

"I probably would have slept with him if it'd get him off my back," she said turning away from him again "It wouldn't be the first time."

"What?" Elliot took a step closer to her, laying a hand on her arm but he wasn't entirely shocked when she pulled it away.

"Don't worry about it," Olivia told him "It's okay," she turned back to him and he could clearly see in her eyes that it wasn't okay.

"Liv…" he began but trailed off. He couldn't really think of what to say.

"Some guys are just in it for the sex," she said quietly, not knowing why she was even discussing this with him "If they really get on your nerves, all you have to do is give them what they want, they'll usually leave," she turned away again, suddenly feeling the overpowering urge to run again, and never stop running.

Elliot wrapped his arms around her and wouldn't let go. He wasn't going to let her run away this time "What do you do when that doesn't work?" he asked quietly.

Olivia sighed "Act pissy with one another until your commanding officer has him transferred."

"Cassidy…?" Elliot asked as he laid his head on her shoulder, staring off in the same direction as she was.

Olivia refused to lean backwards into him. She simply hung her head forward and parted her lips "Cassidy," she confirmed.

Elliot found his heart aching for her. If what she was saying was true, she had never allowed anyone to stay around long enough to love her; she had never let anyone in. "Wanna go home?" he asked.

Olivia turned, not willing to pull herself out of his arms just yet but doing so anyway "Yeah," she said quietly "Let's go home."


	7. Chapter 7: Out of control

**The Death of Dean Porter**

**Chapter 7: Out of Control**

**A/N: So, I still feel pretty miserable but I'm getting better. Thanks to all of you who sent well wishes. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

Elliot had insisted that Olivia sleep in her own bed and that he would be more than comfortable on the couch. She lay there, tossing and turning, thinking about Dean and what she was going to do, about Kathy and how she could convince her to talk to Elliot, about Paxton and how she'd love to just jam her foot in his balls and last but not least, about Elliot.

She had been so honest with him that afternoon and he was still there, he was still her friend. He hadn't turned away from her, ashamed that he even knew her. Then again, she hadn't told him everything. If he only knew, he wouldn't be sleeping under the same roof as her. She finally drifted into a restless, uneasy sleep.

When she awoke, it was early. The sun hadn't even risen yet. She got out of bed and put on her jogging clothes; her mind was still restless and running helped her think. She tiptoed out to the kitchen and scribbled a quick note for Elliot. She crept past the couch and dropped the piece of paper on the coffee table. Before she left, she grabbed her gun; she would never dream of going jogging in Central Park without it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Olivia ran until she was out of breath. Thoughts spun and swirled around her head but so far she hadn't come up with any solutions to any of her problems. She paused to take a quick breather when one of her problems decided to show up.

"Great morning for a jog," Dean smiled, coming up beside her.

She turned around and looked at him "What the hell are you doing here?" she asked angrily.

"What?" he asked, affronted "It's a free country. If I wanna take a jog I have every right to. Just because I ran into you here doesn't mean anything."

"It means you're following me," Olivia countered, moving away from him.

"I promise," Dean said, reaching out and taking her hand as he stared into her eyes "I am not following you. It was just a coincidence."

Olivia wrenched her hand out of his "It wasn't," she said matter-of-factly "Now, I'm telling you this for the last time. Stay away from me."

Dean grabbed her hand again and pulled her close to him "Really?" he asked and there was something different in his tone, something that chilled Olivia to the bone "And who's gonna make me do that, that tough guy partner of yours? He doesn't scare me," he began to kiss her "One well placed bullet and he'll never bother either of us again," he slowly pushed her to the ground.

Olivia kneed him in the groin and watched him fall backwards "You leave him alone," she said, her voice quavering ever so slightly. She got up and started running; she could hear Dean's footsteps behind her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Elliot stretched and yawned. He sat up on the couch and looked around, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He immediately spotted the not on the coffee table. He reached for it and read it. He smiled then became worried. He looked at the clock. She should have been back. He wondered what was taking her so long.

Just as he was thinking this, the apartment door flew open and there she stood, sweaty, dirty and looking like hell. He stood up and faced her. He was speechless for a long time. He thought he saw tear tracks on her face. He stepped forward and moved to wrap his arms around her but she pulled away.

"I'm fine," she told him softly.

"Liv," he said softly as he took in her appearance more fully. Her sweat shirt was smeared with dirt and as he looked closer, he thought he saw blood "What happened?" he asked, trying to reach out to her again.

Fresh tears appeared in her eyes "I'm fine Elliot, just drop it," she headed into her room.

He followed. She was curled up under her blankets on her side. He sat down beside her "You're not fine," he stated simply "And I'm not just gonna drop it."

"Just don't," she whispered. She rolled over and looked at him "I'm fine, really," she told him quietly.

"Olivia," he said with a gentle sternness that almost made her melt "It's me you're talking to. You expect me to believe that you're fine?"

Olivia stared at him for a long time but she didn't say anything. Silently, she was hoping that something would interrupt this moment. She got her wish. There was a knock at her door. She shot up immediately and went to answer it. She didn't even bother looking through the peephole first; she didn't think it would be who it turned out to be.

"You think you can hide from me?!" Dean yelled, pinning her to the wall.

"Dean don't," Olivia ground out, trying to keep her composure as he twisted her wrist painfully.

"Shut up," he said in a low voice. His nose still oozed blood in a slow trickle. He wasn't thinking clearly anymore; she had pissed him off and he wasn't going to let her just walk away.

"Let her go Porter," Elliot said, coming up behind Dean and grabbing him.

Dean released Olivia only to spin around and punch Elliot. Elliot took a step backwards but quickly recovered. He launched a punch at Dean and pinned him to the floor. Dean spat in Elliot's face "This isn't any of your business," Dean told him angrily.

"The second you touched her," Elliot stated "It became my business."

"Possessive freak," Dean hissed.

"Abusive bastard," Elliot countered.

"Get off him Elliot," Olivia said evenly.

Elliot looked up at her and was about to protest when he saw the no-nonsense look in her eyes. Unlike Dean, he had learned to listen to her. He stood up and moved to stand beside her.

Dean picked himself up off the floor and stared at the two detectives bitterly "Get over here Olivia," he demanded.

Elliot stepped in front of her protectively "I think you should leave."

"I don't think so," Dean said evenly. He stared at the two for a long time. He muttered something incoherent before turning away "I'm not done with you," he shot in Olivia's direction before he left the apartment.

"Don't worry," Elliot said, placing a hand on Olivia's shoulder "I'll get changed, we'll go to the precinct, make our statements and then get a warrant for his arrest."

"No," Olivia said, turning away from Elliot "He was just upset. It's no big deal. I've got it under control."

Elliot grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him "I'm not going to let you get away with that excuse this time Liv. Look at yourself," he commanded. He indicated her dirty and bloody clothes "He isn't harmless. You don't have this under control. You never did."

She turned her gaze towards the floor. She knew he was right. She felt fresh tears as what Dean had said in the park rang through her head again. She collapsed into Elliot's arms and wrapped her arms around him "I know," she whispered as fear flooded through her "I can't handle this."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She'd showered and changed and currently sat on her couch with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Elliot walked over and set a mug down in front of her. She reached for it and took a grateful sip. Her eyes widened and she smiled "Tea?" she asked.

"Coffee will just make you more jittery and upset," he said, sitting down beside her. Cragen had given them both the day off though he didn't know the reason why yet. Elliot was hoping he could coax Olivia into giving a statement. He knew he should have arrested Dean when he was there that morning but he could tell when Olivia told him to get off of Dean, that she wouldn't have let him do that.

"Thanks," Olivia mumbled as she took another sip.

They sat in silence for a long time until Elliot finally broke it by asking "What did he do to you?"


	8. Chapter 8: Let It Go Elliot

**The Death of Dean Porter**

**Chapter 8: Let It Go Elliot**

**A/N: Here it is, the next chapter. Please read and if you like what you're reading, please leave a review because… well, how else am I supposed to know if you like it? Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Love ya all! 3 Kelly**

**PS: My cold is gone for the most part but I'm still pretty congested but I'm feeling much better.**

"He was on top of me," she began in a whisper; she knew what would happen if she told Elliot what had happened but she also knew that if she didn't tell him, he would jump to his own conclusions if she didn't and that he would go after Dean still and that might get him killed. At least this way, she could convince him to leave it alone, she hoped.

He patted her shoulder gently, silently encouraging her to continue with his soft gaze. He wanted to hold her but he didn't think she would let him so he kept his distance. He said nothing, his throat felt dry. If Dean had raped her… he wouldn't even bother going to the precinct, he would hunt the bastard down and take him apart, piece by piece.

Olivia took a deep breath, blowing it out hard before continuing "He started pulling at my clothes. It was like he'd lost his mind. I guess he was mad about when I kicked him," she added with a small, satisfied smile.

Elliot couldn't help smiling either. Olivia Benson wouldn't go down without a fight. But she hadn't told him about when she had kicked Dean "You ran into him before this?" he asked.

Olivia inhaled sharply. She hadn't wanted to tell him exactly why she had kneed Dean in the crotch. She hadn't cared that he had been touching her and kissing her, or at least those things were nothing in comparison to what he had said. He had openly threatened Elliot and she couldn't let him. She coughed, deciding that she didn't need to tell Elliot everything "He started kissing me," she said simply "I told him to back off but he didn't so I kicked him," it wasn't an unbelievable lie, not even really a lie at all, most of it was true. She had just omitted something.

Elliot accepted what she had said and seethed with anger. He had been trying to rein it in for Olivia's sake but it was becoming harder and harder. Dean had the audacity to think that he had the right to touch her, to kiss her and it hadn't been long before the bastard was willing to escalate to rape to get what he wanted. He silently nodded, afraid that if he opened his mouth, he would do something to scare her into silence.

"I must not have kicked him hard enough," Olivia muttered, remembering the feel of Dean's erection against her inner thigh. She shuddered, then, sensing Elliot's gaze on her, she tried to push the fear from her mind and focus only on the event but that was impossible. A shudder ripped through her body again and the nest thing she knew, Elliot's strong arms were wrapped around her.

"It's okay," he whispered soothingly, his anger pushed aside for the moment and all of his attention on Olivia, making sure she would feel safe.

"I punched him," she explained, not willing to tell Elliot how terrified she was when Dean was on top of her, pulling at her clothes and staring down at her with that wild look that told her exactly what he intended to do. It wouldn't be just harmless sex, not that rape ever was harmless, but she could tell that he was going to make it as brutal as he possibly could. She took a shuddering breath, trying to stay composed. She turned her face so that Elliot wouldn't see her furiously blinking the tears back. "He was mad but he was too busy trying to stop his nose from bleeding and I just got up and started running," she stopped.

Elliot lifted the mug of tea from the coffee table and offered it to her, gently wrapping her surprisingly cold fingers around it for her because she seemed unable to move under her own power anymore "Here," he said gently.

She stared down at her hands and slowly lifted the mug to her lips. She took a long sip of the lukewarm liquid and forced a smile "Thanks," she whispered.

"We really should go to the precinct," Elliot didn't want to push her but at the same time, the sooner Dean was off the street, the safer he'd feel. He was just glad that he'd been staying with Olivia. He didn't want to think about what would have happened if he hadn't been there that morning. He knew Olivia would be able to hold her own for a while but if she couldn't reach her gun… then it occurred to him. He knew she always went running with her gun "What happened to your gun?" he asked her gently.

Olivia sighed and tried to keep the shakiness out of her voice "It's somewhere in the park I guess," she forced a humorless chuckle "I must have dropped it."

This time, Elliot saw straight through her lie, perhaps it was because this time, it was a truly blatant lie "Liv," he pushed gently.

She shook her head fervently "I must have dropped it," she said again, more firmly this time.

"Olivia," Elliot pressed the issue further.

"It's somewhere in the park Elliot," she turned to him, blinking the tears back as hard as she possibly could "That's all you need to know."

Elliot nodded "Okay," he conceded, pulling her close to him and rubbing his hand up and down her back "Let's go talk to the other's about this and we'll have that jackass in jail by the end of the day."

Olivia pulled away from him "No," she said firmly "Just drop it okay."

"Olivia," Elliot countered just as firmly "He could have…" his tone faltered, he found himself not able to say the words out loud. He took a deep breath "You got away from him this time but next time you might not be so lucky. We have to get him off the streets before he hurts you or someone else."

"He's not gonna hurt anyone else," Olivia said resolutely.

"You can't be sure," Elliot told her "And even if you are right, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to let him…" again he couldn't say it.

Olivia stood up, tossing the blanket aside and knocking the mug to the floor. She walked to the window and stared down at the street below. She saw a familiar car and a familiar person sitting in that car, watching the apartment, making sure no one went in or out. She was trapped. He had her and she didn't see anyway out "I don't know," she whispered in answer to Elliot's question.

Elliot came over and stood beside her. He looked down at the street as well. He was about to say something comforting that could convince her to change her mind. Instead he simply murmured "That son of a bitch," and pulled out his phone.

Olivia turned to him "Elliot, what are you doing?"

"Calling Cragen, this is insane. He can't just sit out there and stakeout this apartment," Elliot replied.

Olivia smacked the phone out of his hand "No, you can't…"

"Why not?" Elliot asked, his anger towards the situation rising and being misdirected at her. He turned and headed to the door "I'll just go down there and have a talk with him then," he intended to do more punching than talking.

Olivia grabbed his arm and pulled him back to her with all her might "You can't…" she found her voice failing her and she just held his arm as tightly as she could. Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks "Please, don't… he'll… he'll…"

"Liv," Elliot said gently, taking her into his arms and holding her close to him "I can't let him get away with this, you know that."

Olivia tried to wipe her eyes but the tears wouldn't stop falling "You have to let it go," she said quietly.

"Why?' Elliot asked.

"Because…" Olivia began "Because… he'll… kill you," she buried her face in his chest as sobs wracked her body.

Elliot, not knowing what to say for once, just stood there and held her. He knew that he couldn't just let this go, no matter what.


	9. Chapter 9: Given The Slip

The Death of Dean Porter

**The Death of Dean Porter**

**Chapter 9: Given The Slip**

**A/N: Hi everyone! It's been a long time, longer than the writer's strike that deprived us for so long. But next week new SVU is back and what do you know, I'm back too. I've been going through some stuff, my profile explains most of it. But I'm back and hopefully back to stay. I know a lot of people have probably lost interest in this story but I would really appreciate some reviews. I wrote this chapter especially for ElliotAndOliviaEqualLove who wrote me a review just today. I wasn't sure where to start up with writing again and that review really inspired me.**

Elliot held her close, keeping his distance from the window. Finally Olivia pulled away from him and walked over to the couch. She sank into its cushions heavily and put her head in her hands "Look what I've let him do to me," she whispered as Elliot came and sat beside her. She turned to him "I'll call Cragen," she reached for the phone on the end table.

Elliot smiled softly as he shouted in his mind 'Atta girl!' He took her free hand where it lay beside her on the couch and held it while she informed the captain of everything that had happened including everything she had told Elliot about the morning's jog but only what she had told Elliot.

She hung up the phone and turned to her partner "I'm not gonna let him win," she told Elliot as she instinctively leaned closer to him "Cragen's sending a car to pick him up now. We'll deal with him at the station."

"We…?" Elliot questioned "Don't you think that you should sit this one out?" he asked, rubbing his thumb over the palm of her hand in slow circles.

She turned so that she was looking directly into his eyes "I told you I won't let him win," she said firmly. "I've let him get to me too many times already. I need this one Elliot. I need to be there. And I need to know that you'll back me up."

"I'll back you up," he replied "But don't you think-?"

The quiet around them was shattered by the sound of breaking glass. Elliot reacted purely on instinct, pulling Olivia to the floor and shielding her body with his. There were three more shots before they heard the sound of a car peeling away on the street below.

Olivia trembled beneath him as he held her close, listening to the sounds of car alarms and voices yelling reached their ears through the shattered window.

"It's okay," he said finally as he moved off of her slowly and helped her sit up "Sorry about that," he shrugged as she rubbed her side where it had hit the floor when they'd fallen.

Olivia didn't seem to have heard him. She stood up immediately against Elliot's protests and pulled away from him, running to the window. She looked out into the street below. The car Dean had been sitting in was gone.

The phone on the end table rang shrilly. It was almost as if it wanted to join in the frenzy. Elliot, who was closer, answered it before Olivia could even turn around. "Hello?"

"Elliot!" Cragen shouted over the echoing noise from the street "Are you two alright?!"

"A little shaken up," Elliot responded as he saw Olivia walking back towards the couch on unsteady legs. She collapsed. She seemed a little more than just a little shaken up but Elliot decided that for the moment, his answer to Cragen would suffice.

"Good," Cragen breathed a huge sigh of relief "When we pulled up, Porter just started firing into the window. Then he sped off. We didn't have time to get out a shot."

"You mean…?" Elliot began when his unasked question was answered by Olivia.

"He got away," she let out in a defeated voice. "He's gone," she sank further into the couch as if it were the only thing holding her up. She grabbed a throw pillow and threw a half hearted punch into its center "We could have had him!" she half screamed, half sobbed.

Elliot finished talking to Cragen on the phone and hung up. He sat down next to Olivia and put an arm around her shoulders "We'll get him," he promised "I won't let him get away and I won't let him get anywhere near you."

She looked up at him "I'm not worried about me," she told him softly. "You think it was me he was aiming at?" she asked as she clung to him.

"We don't know that for sure," Elliot said softly as he subconsciously began to stroke her hair. He held her like that for a good ten minutes before they heard a knock on the door. Olivia's grip tightened momentarily as Elliot pulled away and went to the door. He looked through the peephole and opened the door to reveal Cragen.

"Is she packed?" Cragen asked softly as he looked at Olivia where she sat on the couch.

Elliot shrugged his shoulders apologetically "I hadn't got around to telling her," he replied.

"Telling me what?" Olivia questioned as she stood up and joined the two men.

Cragen cleared his throat "Until we catch Porter," he began "We think it would be safer if we relocated you and Elliot to a secure location."

"I'll pack my bag," Olivia said without even the slightest hint of argument in her voice. She retreated to her room where she hurriedly began throwing things into her duffle.

She could still hear Elliot and Cragen's conversation drifting in through her open bedroom door.

"The kids?" Elliot asked quietly, hoping that Olivia wouldn't ear him.

"I assigned a detail to sit on your house and a plane clothes officer to shadow each of them until this is over," Cragen explained "But I don't think it's likely that Porter will go after them."

Elliot nodded "I think his actions speak louder than his words," he remarked, referring to the gunshots Porter had fired earlier "If he can't have her, he doesn't want anyone else to either."

"And he clearly views you as standing in the way," Cragen added "Officially I'm sending you into hiding with Olivia as he detail but unofficially…" he trailed off, watching Elliot with fatherly concern "I want you to look out for each other and I know that you will."

"We will," Elliot smiled. He really wouldn't want anyone else watching his back. Olivia was probably one of the few people he trusted with his life and he knew that she trusted him just as much. And he had no intentions of breaking that trust, ever.

**A/N: More coming soon… Hopefully.**


End file.
